Police Gun Turn-In Event: Wait! I'll Buy It!

I have read of that being done.
I think now you would be harassed, ordered to move along, or cited as a public nuisance.

Considering that most of the guns being turned in are junk (especially if the authorities are not paying anything), do you really want to bankroll this effort out of your own pocket?

The whole calculus changes if this is a "buyback" rather than a "turn-in." In that case, it's smart to get rid of your own junk guns, take the money, and reinvest it in better guns.

This is a little different than most. It probably wouldn't be legal to use public funds to pay for a gun buyback program. All of them I've seen in the past used money donated by a local group, or individual, to pay for the guns. The LE officers are usually hired to handle the guns. I gave up a non-working old 22 revolver once for $75. I have a couple of old 22 rifles that I'd give up if they were paying for them.

My brother and I took cash to the one we went to in hopes we'd see something decent and would offer someone more than $75. We didn't see anything I'd have paid $20 for.

I’m waiting for one in my area to do just that. You’re not doing anything illegal, and can pick and choose your opportunity and customer, hopefully weeding out the seedier sellers.
Nothing illegal in MN, worst 5he police can do is shake your cage.

Carry a sign that says "Black Rifles Matter".

Naturally this should be done outside any large cities, i.e. on the criminal-friendly east/west coasts and Upper Midwest (STL, ORD/Chicago, MSP, DTW)

Find out where its being held and set up an Amnesty barrel for donations couple blocks away

I would do it. I would also carry copies of whatever statutes apply regarding the legality of such private purchases.

AlexanderA said:

Considering that most of the guns being turned in are junk (especially if the authorities are not paying anything), do you really want to bankroll this effort out of your own pocket?

The whole calculus changes if this is a "buyback" rather than a "turn-in." In that case, it's smart to get rid of your own junk guns, take the money, and reinvest it in better guns.

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This.

Depending on what ordnances the city has you might be required to apply for a permit as it could be construed that you are conducting business on the street. Like sidewalk hot dog vendors or food trucks. The city/police could legally shut you down.

George Dickel said:

Depending on what ordnances the city has you might be required to apply for a permit as it could be construed that you are conducting business on the street. Like sidewalk hot dog vendors or food trucks. The city/police could legally shut you down.

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Local cops are so depleted in many areas they won't even respond to anything not considered a major crime. In some parts of big cities like LA you can get anything from meds to furniture from illegals working as door to door street vendors.

I participated in a buy back a few years ago......
Got rid of some real B29's.......$800.in Sam's Club/ Walmart gift cards! Cleaned out the shotgun shells i was interested in and stocked up on bourbon...
Worth noting the guns were "gifted" to me and most either didn't work or I was afraid of trying them out!

They had one here last year and I think the money was gone within an hour.
One guy made some “guns” out of 2x4s and pieces of pipe.
What a joke. Purely for show.

Great turnout...a whole 20 people! I know I feel safer.

welldoya said:

What a joke. Purely for show.

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Exactly.

What's more, this is counterproductive for the antigunners, because it allows people to get rid of their junk while upgrading their weapons. From the antigunners' point of view, this is one of the stupidest things they could do. We should be cheering them on.

fiddleharp said:

Tomorrow in Sarasota, Florida, the local police are going to have a "Done With The Gun" turn-in event. I didn't see any mention of money. I wonder if a guy stood by the road nearby with a sign reading something like "Wait! I'll Buy It!" and carried on transactions with interested sellers on the spot, if he would be arrested. By the way, gun transactions without paperwork between private parties is perfectly legal in Florida.
https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/01/2...-this-weekend/

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Then WHAT would he be arrested for?

I believe a personal sale is legal. however I dont think soliciting to buy them off the street from random people would classify in this case. I may be wrong tho,

Well, OP, did you do it? I want to hear how it turned out and how many guns you bought!!

https://www.sarasotapd.org/crime-prevention/done-with-the-gun

A lot of people inherit guns and are scared to death of them. I would bet there is gong to be more than a few perfectly good guns turned in. I would like to be the vendor that is going to "safely dispose" of them.

Just saw this thread, so a little late to offer an opinion. However, several years ago Austin tried one of these stupid "buy backs". Money was not involved, but people turning guns in would get a $100 gift card to a Texas grocer (HEB). I, as well as quite a few others positioned ourselves on the public sidewalk, just outside the "buy back" location. As people approached with their guns, we'd make better offers than the gift card. Usually $110 cash. My best score was a virtually new Mossberg 500 12ga ( 18 inch barrel ). Nothing illegal about it, and the police were cool. When I was taking the Mossberg back to my car, one of the cops gave me a thumbs up. I recall one guy was buying everything he could, even guns most would not want. I'd guess he had 30-40 guns in the trunk of his car. He said he was with some organization in San Antonio that provided firearms to people that needed/wanted one, but could not afford them.

45CalPal said:

I believe a personal sale is legal. however I dont think soliciting to buy them off the street from random people would classify in this case. I may be wrong tho,

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Since it took place at Police Headquarters, they would most certainly ask you to leave if you are on City property and disrupting their "feel good" publicity stunt.

In this particular case, there was no monetary compensation and it was not a "no questions asked" event- they state that they will hunt you down of the gun comes back dirty for a crime, so IDs are certainly being checked.- probably why so few particpated.

Neighboring Manatee County does "no questions asked" and pays $50-100 per complete, functional firearm. Their events are held at a strip-mall and are quite busy, but I have seen folks hanging around a discreet distance away trying to buy guns from people headed into the event. The cops seem to leave theme alone if they aren't actually breaking any laws. Most of the guns sold at that one are rusty junk anyway.

The rules on this one were leave the gun in the car and a cop will go out and get it.

I attended one in a church in Brooklyn many years ago, $200 for a handgun, $100 for a long gun, $25 for air guns.

People were turning in some pretty good stuff, I actually saw a US marked Colt SAA on the counter.

I got a total of $425 in a Citi Bank cash card for two rusty old junk long guns, a converted starter pistol I’d had since Jr. HS, and a non working Daisy.

Wish I’d thought about buying some, but this was NYC, and a pretty bad neighborhood you didn’t want to be standing around in with a lot of cash.

I wound up buying a Marlin Papoose and my son got a Mossberg 500 with the funds.

I like buybacks like that.